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Centre-Right Govt to Sell Cargo, Airport and Small Energy Companies
Friday 18 June 2010 Zoom in | Print page
Bratislava, June 18 (TASR) - The four centre-right parties in talks to form a new Cabinet agree on the need to resume the privatisation of underperforming state companies and use the proceeds to reduce public debt and kickstart new development projects.
"We intend to find strategic partners for the Slovak rail freight company ZSSK Cargo and the Bratislava airport. Halting their privatisation on ideological grounds we view as a harmful decision that hurt Slovak people," said Ivan Stefanec of SDKU-DS of the privatisation of the companies halted by Robert Fico's government shortly after taking power in 2006 (when there were buyers established).
Parliamentary newcomer Most-Hid is not opposed to the privatisation on condition that it is transparent. "Companies up for privatisation will be named at the coalition talks and sold at reasonable prices," said Most-Hid deputy chairman Ivan Svejna.
His view was echoed by the new SaS lawmaker Martin Chren, who said the privatisation will be decided on in the Cabinet's Manifesto, which will be preceded by the coalition talks. "We are not opposed to the property privatisation where the state proved to be a bad manager. At issue are mainly small companies such as Cargo, the Bratislava airport and energy firms," said Chren.
Christian Democrats (KDH) Anton Marcincin believes that privatisation can be one of tools how to come to grips with the "parlous" state of public finances. According to him, the companies that could be privatised are those incurring massive losses for the state.
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